Acts of Questioned Kindness
by S. A. Arkenburgh
Summary: Seven months after taking her with him to his once-again kingdom, Klaus receives acts of kindness from Hayley, but they're questioned. Because, really, who would do something for Nicklaus Mikaelson without wanting something in return?


**Hey, Readers! I thought of this after Klaus took back control of his home and "kingdom". It's my first actual fanfic for **_**The Originals**_**, so I hope you like it. If you do please leave a review and click on my penname to look at my other stories on my profile. I'm also a beta if you need one. ;D**

"You're coming with me, little wolf," Klaus said as he almost stomped to his car on his way out.

"Why would I go anywhere with you?" Hayley said blatantly. As if she'd ever go with him-especially now-after what he did to Elijah.

He then proceeded to make a mini speech about how she was his baby mama, and their child is the only thing that he cared for. Oh, and that he would kill anybody who tried to stop him from keeping his kid safe.

Hayley sighed but complied. As she slid into the passenger seat, she buckled herself in and vowed not to talk to Klaus. Not only because he was taking her against her will, but also because neither Elijah nor Rebekah were going with them. Based on the argument she overheard, they probably wouldn't come and visit, either.

~.~.~_Seven Months Later_~.~.~.

Hayley and Klaus had developed a routine. She hated him, so he stayed out. Probably trying to maintain his place as the tyrant king of New Orleans. She had a massive mansion to herself. She could go anywhere but into Klaus' room, his study, or outside the property. There were compelled security guards outside, and so the only fresh air she got was from the courtyard, but even the bloodstains from the massacre Klaus was supposed to be the victim of couldn't be gotten out with any cleaner known to both human and supernatural alike. Klaus would come in every now and then to ask if she needed anything only to have her reply with a simple "no". The only thing she requested was to go on a small shopping spree for maternity clothes since none of her regular ones fit anymore. She was allowed access out of the home that one time, but she had five guards with her.

This time, though, Klaus came into Hayley's room and lingered after he asked if she had any requests.

She was folding clothes, and just as she had added another towel to the growing tower on her bed, it collapsed onto the floor taking another pile with it.

"Shit," she mumbled.

Immediately, she worked at the daunting task of bending down without having her bladder leak. Being about to pop, her equilibrium was constantly off, she had to pee every four-and-a-half minutes, and she didn't know which emotion was happy or sad anymore since she got all of them mixed up.

"Don't fret, little wolf," Klaus said as he strode across the floor and bent down easily to pick up the stack of towels. Hayley envied his ability to do that. She couldn't even see her toes.

Once Klaus bent down once more to pick up the few extra articles of clothing, he took his sweet time getting back up. He was examining the small onesie that had only nine letters on it with a sewed in pink tutu.

"What's this?" he asked as he rose to look at her.

Hayley couldn't look him in the eye as she answered, "I saw it on the shelf for 50% off and I thought it was too cute to pass up. I'm sorry if it offends you. The tutu was what caught my eye…"

She was referring to the fact that the pink-tutued onesie had 'Daddy's Girl' written in simple cursive on it.

"It's probably the greatest thing you could ever get, Hayley," he said as he stroked the small piece of clothing.

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but with my luck, I'll end up having a boy. That's why I haven't brought up the topic of a nursery."

He looked at her-not really at her and rather at her belly-and…_smiled_. The glow of being a father made him look almost paternal and not like the cold, heartless killer that he was. At least, that's what Hayley thought. The only time he was ever really genuine with her was when he carried her home from the witchdoctor's swamp, but even that was just for his kid. Even during the act of conceiving their baby, Klaus wasn't truly honest. It was actually the drunken haze of mass amounts of consumed liquor that ended them up in their situation.

Klaus seemed to snap out of it once his eyes wandered up to her bored ones. She wanted to be happy that he was showing some feeling other than hate, but she couldn't bring herself to conjure up the correct emotion herself.

"Alright, goodnight," Klaus said before he rushed out of the room without another word.

Hayley finished her laundry and then went to bed.

Klaus's look, though. His paternal face took control of her dreams, and her pregnant hormones took over from there.

The next day, Hayley awoke to the thought of Klaus. Was it true that he was heartless? Heartless men don't do all this for the sake of their child. Heartless men don't even _want_ children.

She finally came up with the conclusion that Nicklaus Mikaelson wasn't heartless. He cared-deeply-but was too damaged to show it properly. She didn't even think Klaus knew whom his real father was, and so he was obsessed with making sure that his child knew her father and would be proud at the kingdom he'd built to make her an heir to, though the kingdom and its animosity needed serious work.

Hayley smiled to herself and knew that she needed to have a conversation with him-one that would make them both wake up and prepare to take on supernatural parenthood at full force.

Klaus walked into his home that night welcomed by the smell of fresh food. Apparently, Hayley cooked herself something to eat. He was going to bypass the kitchen altogether until he saw a glass of bourbon sitting on a shelf on an end table with his name scrawled on a note taped to it.

His curiosity got the best of him, and so he walked into the room. Set before him was a feast. From what he could see, there were plates filled with breaded chicken breasts, potato skins, seasoned asparagus, cinnamon apples, and a simple piece of chocolate cake on a plate placed in front of an empty chair.

Hayley stood on the opposite end of the table behind her chair.

"What's this?" Klaus asked her with a confused look.

Hayley took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes, "I know you don't _need _to eat to survive, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't _enjoy_ tasting well-cooked human food every now and again. I can't ever recall you ingesting anything more than blood. Therefore, you can both take a bag from out of the fridge and be on your merry way, or you can sit down and try to enjoy the meal I've prepared. Either way, I'm going to be eating leftovers for a week."

Klaus couldn't help but chuckle, "Should I question your sudden generosity?"

"Blame your kid," she pointed to her belly. "She's making me do all kinds of crazy things while throwing my bodily chemicals off balance."

Klaus couldn't help but smile and surrender to the extended acts of his unborn child as he sat down at the table and actually enjoy the taste of human food without the need for it.

~.~.~

The next night Klaus came home late. Hayley had already gone off to bed, but his room had a laundry basket filled with neatly folded pants and jeans in it. There was a note on the top.

'I promise I didn't go into your room. I only washed what was in the downstairs hamper, and when I finished folding, I placed your laundry in this basket, opened your door, slid the basket inside, and shut it again. -Hayley'

Klaus smiled to himself again and put his clothes away into their respective drawers.

The next few evenings followed suit similarly. Klaus came home to a good deed done from Hayley, which was odd because he'd thought she hated him. He'd also begun to be weary, though. Maybe Hayley thought they'd be one big happy family once she had their baby. Didn't she care for Elijah, though?

On the fifth night, he'd found a note on the table. Hayley had requested his presence in the courtyard. That was where he'd bring her back to reality. They weren't a couple; they never would be. He'd set her straight.

Hayley was sitting in one of the chairs reading a book when she felt his presence. Her heart began to pick up. She'd finally make another request of him tonight, but she wasn't sure how he'd take it.

He didn't even let her speak first, "Hayley, I thank you for your generosity towards me this past week despite the things I've put you through, but I want you to know that if you're trying to become my mate, you're wasting your time."

She laughed. This was so rushed, but it wasn't as if she had much time left. She'd go mad if she didn't speak with him now.

"Relax, Klaus," she chuckled. "I don't want to be your girlfriend. I'm the mother of your child. That's it, but you were right to question my motives at first. I did have an ulterior motive."

Klaus's face hardened instantly, "I knew it! You want something, don't you? You probably want me to grant you access to see my siblings, right? I should've known better. I should've-"

"Klaus!" Hayley said a bit louder to bring him back from his angry ramble. "While that would be amazing, I'm a realist. I wouldn't ask of you something that I knew you wouldn't allow. That would waste both or our time. My request is that you sit down with me and talk. I'm due to have our child soon, and we need to face the fact that we're not only going to be stuck with each other for the rest of our lives, but we have to be civil parents while doing it. However, that's a lot to take in just now, so I was simply wanting a bit of your time to discuss something important-just not as important as that."

Klaus seemed to calm a bit and sat down across from her, "Then what is it you'd like to talk about, little wolf?"

She patted her belly, "First things first: we need to figure out what to name to name this little one. Any suggestions?"

**There you have it! Just a ramble. An FYI: I do NOT support Klaus and Hayley as a couple. I'm a Klaroline shipper forever, but that doesn't mean that the two can't be friends. They ARE having a kid, after all. This one's just a one-shot. It's 2:04am, so if you don't like it, it's probably because I rambled out of lethargy. I hope you had a great holiday!**

**Much Love!**

**-S. A. Arkenburgh**


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